God is in the Rain
by XtinethePirate
Summary: There are forces in nature that are inexorable. The thunder of the rain, love... fate. On Coruscant, the rain seems louder, more immediate. So is love. So is fate. ObiWan x Anakin in later chapters
1. Prologue

Another one that I wrote a while back, and forgot about until tonight when I rewatched V for Vendetta. I was rather dope-smacked with the reminder that this poor little story has been cooling its heels on my harddrive since May. (is a negelctful author). Like Solstice Night, it's a generational-style story (since those have been in my head lately). It's a complete story (yay!) and will be posted in 10 parts. Title is obviously from V for Vendetta.

(rating will increase to NC-17 for later chapters, but is mostly PG-13 to mild mild R. Future chapters will also be Anakin and Obi-Wan -centric...)

Enjoy!

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May 9, 2006

**God is in the Rain**

**Prologue**

A loud rumbling sound woke him abruptly. He sat bolt-upright in bed, his heart racing as he looked frantically around his darkened room. He couldn't see anything in the shadows, couldn't feel anything threatening through the Force, but there was an odd feeling in the atmosphere. It was strangely oppressive, charged with something that made his skin prickle.

Obi-Wan crept out of bed, calling his lightsabre into his hand immediately. The noise came again, louder this time. It was getting closer…. Was there an enemy in the Temple? Had someone managed to break into their apartments? Was Master Qui-Gon all right --?

"Peace, young one," the familiar voice broke into Obi-Wan's panicked thoughts. He spun towards the doorway, automatically settling into a defensive position. But he slowly relaxed as realization dawned upon him. It was his Master leaning casually against the door frame, face thrown into shadow by the light of the common room beyond.

"Master," Obi-Wan belatedly remembered to bow respectfully, feeling his ears burn with embarrassment. He had only officially been Qui-Gon's Padawan in the Temple for a week, and already he was off to a bad start. Jumping at imagined noises as though he was a child.

Another loud _crack_ like blasterfire tore through the silence, followed by a deep roar. Obi-Wan yelped, spinning around to look for the source of the noise. Qui-Gon's hand settled comfortingly on his shoulder.

"It's just an electrical storm, Padawan. The rain will come soon, and then nature will settle down again."

Obi-Wan leaned against that reassuring touch, relaxing slightly. He had seen thunderstorms before, of course, but never on Coruscant. The Temple was so high up among the clouds that the storms were much more _intense_. He had been sure that invaders had breached the Temple, that they had been betrayed and destroyed from within. He could have sworn he saw enemies bursting through the hallways, had seen a plume of smoke rising from the Temple roof as though from a great distance.

It had only been a dream, nothing more than his overactive imagination playing tricks on him. He could see that now, wrapped in the comforting glow of his Master's aura.

Still, the unease hadn't completely left him, preventing him from being able to relax completely. Even as Qui-Gon gave him a gentle nudge, and Obi-Wan settled back onto his bed, he knew that there would be more no sleep for him tonight. But he wanted to be a good Padawan and show Master Qui-Gon that he wasn't afraid. So he curled up on his side, carefully keeping his face in shadow so that the Jedi Knight wouldn't see that his eyes were still wide open.

He could feel Qui-Gon regarding him in silence for a moment, and forced his breathing to slow as though he were already asleep once more. But he couldn't keep up the charade when the mattress suddenly depressed as his Master sat on the edge of the bed.

Wondering what he had done wrong, Obi-Wan turned to face his Master quizzically. Qui-Gon's only response was to gesture impatiently for Obi-Wan to scoot over, so that he could stretch out as well.

With a wide grin, Obi-Wan quickly complied.

The bed was too small for the Jedi Knight's large frame: his feet dangled off the end of the bed, and he had to curl over on his side. Obi-Wan took the unspoken invitation, wriggling back wards to press his back against Qui-Gon's broad chest, safe in the haven of his Master's arms. He could hear Qui-Gon's comforting heartbeat, soothingly rhythmic.

Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep, as the rain finally started to pound down against the transparisteel windows.

**End Prologue**

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The rest of the chapters are longer, I promise. (smiles). I'll try (try being the operative word) to update this once a week. Hope you liked, and reviews are chocolate-covered Jude Laws. Mmmmm.


	2. Chapter 1

I know I said that this would be updated last Monday... (eep) so I'm sorry that it's late! I've been moving back to university and starting classes and all that crazy stuff. Lame excuse though it may be, excuse it is, hahaha.

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter 1**

Obi-Wan wondered if he would ever be able to sleep again. Ever since his return to Coruscant with his new charge in tow, it seemed like he hadn't managed once to close his eyes. Everything was moving far too quickly. Not one week ago he had been content to be a Padawan to the greatest Jedi Master in the Temple. Suddenly, he was a Knight with a Padawan of his own, and with absolutely no idea what he should be doing.

Nights were the worst. During the day he could lose himself in the mountains of responsibility required to train Anakin. At night, curled up tightly from long acclimation to a much smaller bed, he was regretfully able to _think_. Which was something that he didn't want to do; not yet.

So he lay staring bleakly out the window every night, trying in vain to relax on a mattress that still resonated with Qui-Gon's Force-signature. While he had always found the presence of his Master to be soothing, now it distracted him. Whenever he managed to close his eyes, he could almost hear his Master's voice. It would startle him awake, making him look around the room in vain for the man he missed more than anything.

So instead of sleep, he drifted in a vague sense of unreality, eyes open but unseeing. The lights of the Coruscanti traffic slid in lazy lines across his ceiling, flickering against the constant glow of the skyscrapers beyond.

It had started raining at some point. Obi-Wan wasn't sure when the clouds had rolled in over the star-strewn sky, but he had been listening to the hissing splash of the drops against his windowpane for quite some time without registering the sound.

It was an abrupt crashing sound that broke him from his reverie. He sat up, heart pounding and sheets tangled about his legs. For a second, he thought it was thunder, but then a louder crash followed, accompanied with a dismayed cry that was unmistakably Anakin's voice.

Instantly, Obi-Wan snatched his lightsabre into one hand and raced out into the common room, alert for any dangers.

But instead of Trade Federation droids or legions of tattooed Sith Lords or any of the other enemies that he feared to find, there was only his young Padawan standing in the small kitchen. Anakin's hair was plastered against his head, his clothes soaked through. Small puddles of water were collected at his feet on the floor, and he was limply clutching a pot in each hand. His blue eyes were wide; he obviously hadn't expected Obi-Wan's intrusion.

Obi-Wan blinked sleepily, pushing one hand through his rumpled hair. He was trying to wake up fully and make sense of the strange sight before him all at the same time, and his sluggish brain was refusing to respond quickly enough. "Anakin… what in the Sith are you…?"

Anakin grinned hugely, dropping one pot with a loud clang that made the Jedi Knight wince. When Anakin snatched Obi-Wan's hand with damp fingers, he wearily allowed himself to be dragged towards the balcony, where Anakin gestured excitedly at the stormy weather.

"Master Obi-Wan, sir, look!" Anakin squeaked, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. "There's actual water falling from the _sky!_" As he spoke, Anakin carefully placed the pot out on the balcony. It _pinged_ softly as raindrops splattered against its metal surface. Obi-Wan noted with some bemusement the collection of similar kitchen vessels, already half full of water.

"This is absolutely _wizard_, Master! I wish that mom could be here to see this!"

"Anakin," Obi-Wan cut in with a small smile, enjoying Anakin's wide-eyed delight at something so mundane to anyone who hadn't lived on a desert planet, "rain is _hardly_ an unusual phenomenon on Coruscant." As he spoke, Obi-Wan stretched out one hand, catching the cool drops of water against his skin.

On planets like Tatooine, it would be like millions of credits falling from the sky. No wonder his Padawan had thought to instantly set out as many containers as possible to capture the valuable commodity. Funny how the same phenomenon could be counted as a miracle or merely as a minor irritation, depending on one's upbringing and point of view.

"The air purifiers in the upper atmosphere of Coruscant produce hydrogen as a by-product," Obi-Wan began to explain to his wide-eyed Padawan. "The hydrogen mixes with the oxygen in the air, before condensing into precipitation –" he trailed off at Anakin's frown of consternation, shrugging dismissively.

"Never mind Padawan, the _how_ in this case is not important." Obi-Wan took Anakin's hand and tugged him back inside. But he stopped the boy before Anakin could retrace his damp steps over the carpet, dashing into the fresher to grab a dry towel.

Anakin's eyes were still fixed on the window, Obi-Wan noted as he gruffly stripped off his Padawan's soaked-through sleep shirt and rubbed him dry. He should have known that the boy would be so fascinated with water. He obviously hadn't been making an effort to know his Padawan at all, if he had failed to realise _that _obvious fact. Obi-Wan had been too wrapped up in the changes in his own life to consider that Anakin was every bit as lost as he was.

Obi-Wan made a note to take his Padawan down to the Room of a Thousand Fountains as soon as possible. It would be a way of forming a connection between them. Maybe he could even teach Anakin how to swim, just as Qui-Gon had taught him once upon a time.

But for now….

"There will be plenty of other rainstorms, Padawan," Obi-Wan laughed, teasingly tossing the towel over Anakin's head, "but for the moment, you should get back to sleep."

Anakin tugged away the fabric with a mock-scowl, somewhat diminished by his smiling blue eyes.

Obi-Wan tugged lightly on Anakin's braid. "Goodnight, Padawan." He gave the boy a small push in the direction of his room. Anakin scampered down the hallway quickly, pausing in the doorway to shoot Obi-Wan a grin.

"Sleep well, Master."

And for the first time in almost a week, he actually did.

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please check out _"www (dot) community (dot) livejournal (dot) com /omg (underscore) fics/"_ --- the repository of all stories by myself, albydarned, and wyndmir, including ones _not_ posted to fanfiction. net! Supernatural Slash, RPS, Star Wars (of course) and silliness, because we wanted our own little sandbox to play in. (laughs)

Sorry for the awkward formatting on the link; ffn's formatting is screwy that way, and it won't show up otherwise.


	3. Chapter 2

I keep forgetting to update this... (meeps). Sorry about that!

Enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter 2**

Obi-Wan slumped on the uncomfortable stone bench, head cradled in his hands. Around him, the locals of the Sith-forsaken planet whispered in their oddly sibilant voices, the sound echoed by the hissing of the incessant rain outside. Thankfully, none of the Togorians dared to bother a Jedi Knight who was completely absorbed in his own despair: Obi-Wan knew that he couldn't put on the face of a diplomat at a time like this.

The Jedi Knight glanced up with hollow eyes at the healer who knelt beside him and mechanically examined the deep gash on his arm, ears twitching faintly as he studied the wound. Although there were fairly advanced cities on the far side of the planet, out here in the jungle, medicine was half guess-work, half religious fervour, where the remedy could be more deadly than the disease.

At the moment, Obi-Wan didn't care what kind of ineffective remedy this tribesman would use to bind his arm. He didn't care if infection set in, or if the cure was worse than the cut itself, because he had failed.

Anakin was still missing.

Obi-Wan and his Padawan had been dispatched to investigate a suspected smuggling cartel connected with the Trade Federation. Their information had led them to believe that the main base was located in the jungle surrounding the small Togorian village. A basic mission, nothing especially dangerous for their first outing together as Master and Padawan. The Togorian race was known to be distinctly cold and aloof to outsiders, especially the jungle natives, so the second part of their mandate was to engage the help of the locals.

Wandering through the jungle, trying to find their contact upon landing, was when Obi-Wan had lost him. Anakin had been chattering about nonsensical things, the way he always did, and Obi-Wan had sternly reprimanded the boy to be quiet for once in his life. Sullen at the remark, Anakin had lagged behind, scuffing his feet and muttering to himself.

At the time, Obi-Wan had been too irritated to care if his Padawan wanted to sulk. But when he had turned around to find his apprentice gone, he had felt as though his heart had stopped in his chest. There was no sign, no trace of struggle or treachery… Anakin had just been _gone. _

That had been two days ago.

The rain had started that evening, the monsoon season on the tribal planet. Obi-Wan had barely been able to find the village himself, but had been positively crushed to find that he was the only stranger to come wandering out of the jungle.

Although the leaders of the clans had tried to prevent him, Obi-Wan had immediately left the village again, obsessively scoured the surrounding terrain, refusing to eat or rest until the boy was found. Finding the Togorians had been his only real hope – they knew the planet better than he did, and surely would hasten his reunion with his Padawan.

However, the primitive religion of the tribe stated that their God manifested himself in the rain. Only shamans and the poor fools who had been touched by the Hand of God ventured out into it. No one else would take the risk – all who ventured out into the rain returned drastically changed. After all, what mere mortal could face the divine and remain unaltered?

Obi-Wan had caustically wondered at the time whether the almost feline appearance of the Togorians had something to do with their aversion to water. After a day, however, he had started to wonder if they were right about the rain.

Perhaps it _was_ true. Obi-Wan certainly didn't recognize himself – robbed of his impassivity, bedraggled and mud-stained, violating the precepts of the local religion in his obsessive search for Anakin. To his eternal shame, he had even threatened the tribal elders with his lightsabre in an attempt to force them to help him.

All to no avail. His reputation as a skilled negotiator had failed him, as had brute force. He had failed his Master's teachings just as he had failed Anakin – he searched alone.

He didn't know how much longer he would last, however. The lack of sleep was taking a toll on his alertness. The hanadak had come out of nowhere that afternoon, bowling him over and opening his arm to the bone with one swipe. The idea that he, a full Jedi Knight, could be surprised so easily by the creature made him even more sick with worry about Anakin. If the boy hadn't been captured or killed, would he have managed to survive without any food or shelter?

Sudden increases in conversation made Obi-Wan open his eyes and slowly raise his head. The locals were peering out windows and clustering at the door, straining to see over each other's heads without setting food in the rain.

Obi-Wan sagged back on the bench. No, he wouldn't trust to hope. The excitement would turn out to be nothing more than one of the shamans returning with a ridiculously overdramatic tale of the vision he had received, or a hunter with a carcass of an animal that was somehow more fascinating than any other dead creature.

But when the healer rose as well and joined the crowd, Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel the first stirrings of uneasiness. His thoughts had been too crowded with images of his apprentice dying somewhere, beyond his reach. If the boy really was dead, Obi-Wan wasn't sure he wanted to know. As long as there was no news, there was still the hope that Anakin was still alive somewhere.

All the same, as the healer returned to his side with an obvious show of reluctance, the weary Jedi Knight caught his arm and asked what was happening. A knowing smile was his response.

"A hunter returned today," he mewled softly. "Brings not food, but a boy. Hiding in the jungle, he was, scared of everything except one who came with a spear. He attacked. Took Klanday by surprise." The Healer bared his teeth, an equivalent of a smile. "Your son, yes?"

Obi-Wan didn't bother to correct him – the concept of an apprentice was lost on them it seemed. But he had leapt up before the explanation was even finished, pushing his way through the tightly crowded people.

_Anakin._ It had to be. No one else would be crazy enough to attack an armed feline who was almost three metres tall. Obi-Wan wanted to laugh in relief, to run up and hug Anakin in the sheer joy of finding his apprentice was still alive. But in the wake of that reassurance, the anger born of his anxiety was allowed to surface.

Impatiently, Obi-Wan pushed through the crowd that clustered in the doorway of the tiny shrine. Ignoring the puddles and squelching mud that sucked at his boots, the Jedi Knight dashed out into the warm tropical rain to meet his battered and bruised Padawan. Anakin was staring resolutely at the ground, his shoulders hunched, clothing soaked through.

Obi-Wan grabbed Anakin by the shoulders, his heart thundering in his ears as he shook his Padawan roughly. "Have you _any_ idea how worried I was about you? Where in the Sith have you _been_, Anakin?"

Anakin shot him a startled glance, as though unnerved by his Master's unusual burst of emotion. Obi-Wan's throat felt oddly constricted, as though he were about to cry.

"You _never_ leave my side without apprising me of your whereabouts, do you understand me?" When Anakin didn't reply, Obi-Wan shook him even harder, hearing his own voice crack. "_Do you understand me_?"

"Y-yes, Master," Anakin whispered.

Obi-Wan's heart lurched as he realized that there were tears mingled with the raindrops on his Padawan's cheeks. With a soft cry he pulled Anakin roughly into his arms, crushing the boy into his embrace. His own eyes were burning as he held Anakin close, heedless of the incessant rain that gradually soaked through his cloak and tunics. He was aware only of Anakin's muffled sobs against his shoulder.

Pulling his cloak forward to wrap Anakin inside it as well, Obi-Wan rested his cheek against his Padawan's soaking hair and closed his eyes tightly.

Perhaps this rain did change people after all.

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please remember that reviews are love. And everyone needs a little love, right? (grins)


	4. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed so far! (much love and huggles abound). ****This chapter upgrades to some slashy moments, but still pretty PG-13. Just so you're forwarned.**

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**Chapter 3**

Obi-Wan had searched all over the Temple, seeking out his Padawan in all of Anakin's favourite spots. He knew from long habituation where Anakin was apt to hide when upset, and yet his Padawan was nowhere to be found.

He could feel the muted anguish through their training bond, the echo of pain that resonated dully in his heart. If he closed his eyes, he knew that he would once more see Dooku's vicious smile as his lightsabre severed Anakin's arm. He would see how pale his apprentice had been in the infirmary as Luminara had affixed the durasteel tourniquet over the severed limb. It was a temporary measure, until the arm healed well enough for a prosthetic replacement. But he remembered the horror and disgust in Anakin's eyes as he stared at what had been his 'sabre arm. Just one shocked look, before Anakin had bolted out the door.

Obi-Wan paused in the grand gallery, breathing heavily as he pressed one trembling hand over his eyes. Luminara had counselled him that it would take time, that Anakin would need to be alone for a while to adjust, but that was something that Obi-Wan was not willing to accept. Anakin needed him, he could _feel_ it.

But he couldn't find his apprentice anywhere. Where in the Sith _was_ Anakin?

A rumble of thunder made Obi-Wan's eyes snap open, and he turned to gaze out the nearby window. The sky above was seething angrily. Swiftly-moving black clouds roiled and rumbled ominously, obscuring the tops of the skyscrapers beyond the Temple. Every so often, a flare of lightning illuminated the darkened sky with unnatural brilliance.

And Obi-Wan suddenly knew where his Padawan would be. Backing away slowly from the window, he spun on his heel and started to run.

The trip up to the Temple roof was a long one, made more oppressive by the transparisteel of the elevator facing into the raging storm. Rain sheeted the glass, backed by black mountains of clouds that whirled across the sky.

When the doors finally opened on the roof, Obi-Wan was almost knocked over backwards by the strength of the wind that shrieked across the flat roof. Through the driving rain, he could dimly make out a figure huddled on the ground.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan screamed, but his words were snatched away by the wind and didn't reach his Padawan's ear.

Drawing his cloak tightly around himself, tugging his hood low over his face, Obi-Wan staggered out into the storm. The gale threatened to send him sprawling immediately; he staggered from the unexpected force of the gust, throwing out one hand to try and catch his balance. Instantly, his cloak was ripped open, flying out wildly behind him. Rain pounded against his body, plastering Obi-Wan's robes against his skin. He cuffed the back of his hand across his eyes, trying to clear away some of the water obscuring his vision.

Anakin knelt on the flat tiles that were flooded with water, away from the meagre protection that the Temple spires would afford him. Squinting through the droplets of water that beaded on his eyelashes, Obi-Wan could see that the younger man's head was thrown back, allowing the pounding rain to batter his face. His arms hung loosely at his sides, the palm of his left hand curved upwards as though receiving some benediction from the storm that raged around them. The other arm, ending in the metal tourniquet, didn't manage to reach the ground. The sight made Obi-Wan's heart lurch painfully again as he staggered over to his Padawan's side.

Anakin didn't move as Obi-Wan approached – the howl of the wind, the bone-vibrating rumble of thunder and the sheets of rain drowned out any other sound. Obi-Wan felt as though he were completely deaf; an odd contradiction when his senses were being overloaded by the cacophony of nature. But when he knelt in front of Anakin, calling out his Padawan's name over and over, the sound was completely lost, as though he had never spoken.

Anakin's eyes opened slowly, squinting against the rain. Obi-Wan patted his cheeks anxiously, unnerved by the sluggishness of Anakin's responses. When Anakin's eyes finally met his own, Obi-Wan had to look away quickly. There was a strange expression in those sleepy blue eyes; a haunted look that sent chills racing down Obi-Wan's spine.

Pulling his sodden cloak from his shoulders with difficulty, Obi-Wan draped the heavy fabric over his apprentice. Anakin was soaked through; the thin white fabric of the shirt and pants from the Healer's Ward clinging tightly to his unnaturally pale skin. Still Anakin made no response, gazing at his Master with that deadened, helpless expression.

Roughly, Obi-Wan pulled Anakin into his arms, closing his own eyes tightly as the wet bristles of the young man's haircut tickled his cheek. He could feel the wail of grief rising within him, that his negligence, his _arrogance_ had so completely broken the spirit of his wonderful, exasperating Padawan. He hated himself for failing to guard Anakin's back, for being the one to put that terrible blankness in his apprentice's eyes. When Anakin clung to him instinctively, Obi-Wan bit back a sob, feeling the harsh metal of the tourniquet against his side.

_I'm sorry, Anakin. Sith, I'm so, so sorry. _He mouthed the words soundlessly against Anakin's temple, offering them to the wind and the rain like a prayer. A prayer to whatever God that was said to live in such storms, that they would both come through the tempest unscathed. That the young man in his arms, whom he trusted and relied on above all others, would still be the Anakin he knew and cared for when the morning came.

Brushing the back of his hand over Anakin's cheek, Obi-Wan slowly pulled back from the embrace, and drew the silent Padawan to his feet. They didn't try to speak as Obi-Wan guided them back across the rooftop, stumbling slightly under the weight of his apprentice. There were no words to say, even if they wouldn't have been lost to the storm.

At the elevator door, Anakin seemed to come back to himself, fumbling awkwardly at the sodden cloak draped over his shoulders. Obi-Wan shook his head with a soft smile, motioning for his Padawan to keep it. The wry grin he received in response – accompanied by a pointed look indicating how ridiculously short the cloak was on Anakin – made Obi-Wan's heart ache with relief. That was the Anakin he knew, impish and sarcastic. Perhaps they would both survive this ordeal unchanged, just like any other that had come before.

Obi-Wan placed one hand comfortingly on Anakin's shoulder, pressing the button to close the elevator door. The durasteel slid shut, blocking out the worst of the screeching storm.

Then Anakin's lips were pressed against his. His apprentice tasted wild, like the winds that howled across the Temple roof, his skin smelled like the fresh rain. Obi-Wan gasped as he was firmly pushed back against the transparisteel wall of the elevator, heart rumbling like thunder in his ears. Their bodies melded together, wet fabric clinging uncomfortably to skin that was heated with desire.

"Anakin –" Obi-Wan began swiftly, breaking the kiss.

"Can I stay with you tonight?" Anakin interrupted softly, glancing at his Master through lowered lashes.

Obi-Wan gaped soundlessly for a second, feeling his cheeks heat at the suggestion, banishing the bone-deep cold of the rain. But before he could master himself enough to protest, Anakin smiled wryly and pressed a finger over his lips. Obi-Wan had to resist the urge to kiss that finger, to rub his cheek against the palm of Anakin's hand.

"Not… not anything like that, Master. I… I just feel like I'm never going to be warm and dry again." Anakin ducked his head, blushing. "And you know, body heat –"

"Just for tonight," Obi-Wan heard himself say, his voice sounding like a stranger's, raspy and hesitant. "So long as this doesn't become a habit, Padawan."

"Staying out in the rain, or sleeping with you? Because I could get very used to both…."

Obi-Wan tried to find a pithy retort to that, but Anakin's mouth on his derailed that train of thought. Besides, those lips were too good to waste.


	5. Chapter 4

Ok, how much do I lose at life for being late to post this? (eeps) I'm sorry!!

Getting a little more into the angst now. (grins) Not that I ever write that, lol. I hope you enjoy the installment, and thank you for reviewing so far!!

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**Chapter 4**

It had been drizzling for most of the week. The kind of sullen, slow rain that fell from slate grey clouds mockingly, the kind of rain that could continue for days on end without abating.

Obi-Wan hated this kind of rain. It was insidious, seeping into people's hearts and making them as dour as the weather outside. But for the moment, he was glad of the fog that swirled around the skyscrapers of the city, was cynically grateful for weather that perfectly matched his mood.

The low clouds hid his identity well, wrapping him in shrouds of mist. It dulled people's perceptions, so that he would seem to be just another unremarkable citizen of Coruscant, idling in his speeder as though waiting for someone. On an ordinary day, a casual observer might have noticed that he had been sitting in the same spot for nearly four hours, and that there was no landing platform anywhere near his speeder. On an ordinary day, the markings on the skycar would have been noticed, would have been recognized as being from the Jedi Temple.

On an ordinary day, his presence would have been called into question. Not that their perceptions would have been mistaken – Obi-Wan _was_ waiting for someone. He was waiting for Anakin.

But since it wasn't official business, he was very glad of the weather that drove people inside to their loved ones rather than sparing him a second look.

In that sense, Anakin was no better than the casual observer. A Jedi should have noticed the incongruities of Obi-Wan's speeder being there, even on a miserable day like this. But like the rest of Coruscant's population, Anakin was too occupied to even spare him a second glance. Nothing could bother him tonight. Not when he was rushing off to see _her. _

Obi-Wan had suspected, of course, ever since he had woken to find Anakin missing that morning from their apartments. They had spent the night together; Anakin curled up contentedly against Obi-Wan's chest, watching the trails of raindrops slide down the windowpane. They had fallen asleep together, but Obi-Wan had woken alone.

He didn't know what had driven his Padawan away, if it was the kiss they had shared in the elevator, or what Anakin had perceived as rejection when Obi-Wan had refused to let that kiss go any further. Although he had casually agreed to that condition in the elevator, once they were back in the apartment, Anakin had insistently pushed Obi-Wan down on the mattress, rubbing his hand against Obi-Wan's groin –

And he had wanted to. _Fucking Force_, but he had _wanted _to. But Anakin was still his apprentice, and letting their relationship progress any further would have been a breach of that implicit trust.

Maybe he had been too harsh in pushing Anakin away; Obi-Wan wasn't sure. He had thought that everything was all right between them when Anakin had murmured an apology and had been content to just snuggle together. Apparently, he had been wrong.

All he knew was that he had woken alone the next morning, and Anakin had been on a transport, escorting Senator Amidala home.

And Obi-Wan had suspected, but had refused to believe that his suspicions about his apprentice's relationship with the Senator were at all true. Until tonight. Until he had followed Anakin's distinctive speeder at a distance, and had found his former Padawan's destination was the Senatorial Apartments.

_Padmé's_ apartment, to be precise.

And he still hadn't wanted to believe what he was seeing, had wanted to invent a number of reasons to explain why Anakin would be sneaking out of the Temple in the middle of the night to meet with a beautiful woman.

But his eyes didn't lie, Obi-Wan knew that. And when Anakin had been met with a wildly enthusiastic embrace and a lingering kiss, he was forced to acknowledge the truth.

He was glad of the rain that blurred the windshield, filling the car with its sinuous hissing and drowning out his thoughts. He was glad that no one was around to force him to drive on, when his mind felt completely numb. He was glad of the cold air that fogged the transparisteel, hiding him from any prying eyes as he drew his knees up against his chest and buried his face in his hands.

He didn't want even a casual observer to see him cry.

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Please remember that reviews are LOVE and help poor English majors to deal with the pain of reading Chaucer day. after. day. (laughs)

Xtine


	6. Chapter 5

Midterms are over! (gleeful)

To celebrate, you get a new chapter. Still slightly angsty, but I promise the slashing is forthcoming!

X

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****Chapter 5**

The drumming of rain on the canvas roof of the tent would drive him mad. Obi-Wan was absolutely sure of that fact. It was only a question of whether the Separatist Forces would manage to kill him one way or another before that point. Either way, the future appeared rather bleak.

The rain on Coruscant had never prevented him from sleeping. It was the clear nights when Anakin snuck out of the Temple to visit the _lovely_ Senator that kept him awake, hand clenched tightly against his pillow as he glared into the darkness. Rain generally meant that Anakin would sleep in his own room, and Obi-Wan could let go of his jealousy long enough to drift into slumber.

No, he had never had a problem sleeping in the rain. Except when Anakin got it into his head to go and stand out in the storm, of course. But in those cases, Obi-Wan worried about what the puddles invariably left after such an excursion would do to the wooden floors of their apartment more than anything else.

Here, the rain seemed so much _closer_ than it did in the Republic's capital. The clouds were low and dreary, making day almost indistinguishable from night. The rain got inside of him, so that even when Obi-Wan was completely dry, he still felt soaked through and freezing cold. He couldn't rid himself of the feeling, the confined, clammy sensation that the weather invoked.

And the sound of it wasn't comforting any longer. It was relentless, grating on nerves already frayed to the breaking point. If the Separatists won this battle, Obi-Wan's report to the Temple would be that droids couldn't be driven insane. That was a flaw that sentients like the clones and their commanders regrettably still possessed.

Droids also didn't have that same instinctive and biological need for sunlight that living creatures required. The medics had already exhausted the vitamin D supplements, but even those had been almost completely ineffective. None of the Republic troops had been sleeping well – the constant darkness weighed heavily on the spirit and disrupted the natural circadian rhythms of the body. Add to that the constant strain of adrenaline in battle….

Obi-Wan sighed, casting aside his data-pad and closing his eyes. He wouldn't sleep, he already knew that. And the irritating sound of the rain, like a conversation just out of earshot, would keep him from quieting his mind enough to meditate.

The sound of the rain increased in volume momentarily as Anakin entered the tent, pushing back his sodden curls from his face. Obi-Wan smiled fondly as the scent of wind and rain (which always smelled sweeter on Anakin) filled the tent.

"There's no movement in the droid encampments," Anakin reported shortly, shrugging out of his waterlogged cloak and draping it over the end of his cot, before sitting to remove his boots. He pulled a face at the squelching sound his foot made when tugged from the leather, and pushed open the tent flap again to pour out the miniature lake that had accumulated inside.

"I didn't expect any," Obi-Wan replied calmly, studying Anakin through half-closed eyes. His former apprentice was tense, his hands clenched on the edges of his cot. "They won't resume the offensive until dawn; they sustained heavy losses today."

"So did we. And clones can't just be repaired, Master."

Obi-Wan bit the inside of his lip, and decided that there was no argument he could make. Anakin was right. The clone troopers were treated like any other weapon, as being completely expendable. But the Jedi wouldn't survive for long without the backing of their armies. The troopers were designed for combat, while the Jedi were still learning much about the art of warfare.

"Wouldn't it be nice if Trade Federation battle droids were solar powered?" Obi-Wan mused aloud, hoping to lighten the mood.

Anakin shot him a pointed glare through his bedraggled curls. Even the infamous Skywalker good looks that had females of all species swooning across the galaxy couldn't hold up under the constant rain. It would have almost made Obi-Wan feel better, had he not known for certain that he looked ten times worse.

Even Sena-_whore_ Amidala wouldn't look so pretty if she had had to live through hell every day. Upon their return to the capital, she would probably refuse to touch Anakin until he was presentable again, lest the mud and water damage one of her garish outfits.

Bitch.

"We're going to die here, aren't we Master?"

The words caught Obi-Wan by surprise, dragging him from his bitter reverie. He pushed himself up into a half-sitting position, to stare at Anakin. The young Jedi Knight wasn't prone to being so pessimistic. And in the entire course of their relationship, Obi-Wan had never known his apprentice to fear his own death.

Of course, before these Clone Wars had started, his former Padawan hadn't had as much to lose. The piercing thought made Obi-Wan's heart ache sharply, and he absently pressed his hand over the spot as though he could will away the pain.

Obi-Wan glanced back at Anakin, whose gaze was fixed on some inward memory. Obi-Wan had no illusions as to who the younger man was thinking about.

Padmé.

"It isn't fair!" Anakin suddenly exploded, jumping up off his cot and flinging his arms out in a gesture of impotent rage. "We're going to die here, and nobody will care at all! This planet is _meaningless_ strategically, and our deaths will serve for _nothing_!"

"You're right."

Obi-Wan saw Anakin's eyes widen in surprise at this answer. Of course, he would probably have expected his rigid Master to lecture him for second-guessing the will of the infallible Council. It was what Obi-Wan would have expected of himself, on any other day.

"The only argument I would make, young one, is your claim that no one would care if you died," Obi-Wan continued in the same calm voice, amazed that no emotion was betrayed in his tone. _I would care. Or have you forgotten that already? _"You and I both know that that isn't true."

He slowly raised his eyes to meet Anakin's own, adding weight to that final statement. It was as close as he could ever get to telling Anakin that he knew about the illicit affair with Padmé. Any open attempt to broach the subject would result only in more falsehoods and anger. Anakin would deny it, and Obi-Wan would lecture him on the importance of letting go of all attachments, hypocritical as that sermon might be. They were stuck in that pattern now; it was useless to think that their conversation could go any differently.

"We're married." Anakin whispered helplessly.

Obi-Wan felt his heart crack and turn cold, a heavy weight on his chest. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move. He wanted to leap up and pull Anakin into a tight embrace, to reassure the younger man that he would do everything in his power to keep Anakin and Padmé safe. He would fight droids, the Council, or Sith Lords to protect the younger man. Anything that Anakin asked of him.

Ironic that he would preach to _Anakin_ about attachment.

But the sudden pain in his heart paralysed him, forcing him to retreat behind his tightly made defensive walls. Until all he could do was murmur quietly:

"I'm so sorry."

There was a cold breeze across his face as Anakin stormed out of the tent again. Obi-Wan was left staring at the bland canvas walls, seeing nothing but the fear in Anakin's eyes. A fear that was echoed in his own heart.


	7. Chapter 6

**Happy November everyone!**

Have some porn, of the pure PWP variety. NC-17, don't like, please skip to the next chapter. Er. When it's uploaded, that is. (grins) But I know that you all are all about the slash. hahahaha.

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**Chapter 6**

Obi-Wan sprawled awkwardly in the seat of his star fighter where Anakin had unceremoniously dumped him. The younger Jedi Knight was half leaning into the cockpit of the Delta-6, one hand braced on the seat behind Obi-Wan's head. Struggling to regain his dignity, Obi-Wan tried to push himself into a proper sitting position, bracing one hand against Anakin's shoulder.

He couldn't keep traitorous fingers from curling slightly in the soft locks at the nape of his former Padawan's neck, a subtle enough caress that he could deny it outright if the need ever arose. But when Anakin's other hand clamped onto his wrist, and those clear blue eyes bored into him, Obi-Wan knew that the younger man was not fooled.

Slowly, deliberately, Anakin leaned over him. Obi-Wan felt his heartbeat pick up speed, his eyes focused on the sensuously pouty lips of the Knight.

"Ana –" he started to whisper.

Then Anakin's mouth was pressed firmly against his own, rough and demanding, pressing Obi-Wan back against the seat of his fighter. His hands clenched helplessly in Anakin's tunics, his body responding automatically as his mind protested. When Obi-Wan tried to pull away, tried to say something to snap them both back into reality, Anakin pressed his advantage.

Their teeth clicked together painfully as the young Knight sat on the edge of the cockpit and swung his legs over the side slowly, gracefully. Anakin braced his hands on either side of Obi-Wan's head to balance himself, without once breaking the kiss.

The space was cramped, pressing them both more tightly together. Anakin half-knelt on the seat, his thigh pressed between Obi-Wan's legs. The Jedi Master gasped at the friction, allowing Anakin to explore Obi-Wan's mouth, caressing Obi-Wan's tongue with his own in sensuous strokes.

Obi-Wan moaned: a humming vibration that reverberated between their conjoined mouths. His back arched as Anakin's hands slipped into his tunics, pushing the coarse-spun fabric aside to press against heated flesh. He gripped the edges of his starfighter tightly, knuckles white as he held on for dear life. He was being swept away by his younger partner, and even though his rational mind knew that it was wrong, he couldn't bring himself to protest. Obi-Wan could only whimper incoherently as Anakin's tongue swirled indolently around one nipple, sucking lightly on the darkened skin as it hardened against his lips.

The whimper turned into a startled yelp as Anakin bit down lightly on the sensitive flesh, making Obi-Wan's hips buck up against Anakin's body. The younger Knight grinned, a lazy smirk that made all sorts of wicked fantasies race through Obi-Wan's mind. All of them requiring Anakin to be wearing a lot less clothing.

Obi-Wan's hands quickly fumbled with the layers of the young Knight's tunics, shoving aside the rough black cloth in desperation to be able to touch Anakin. His former apprentice seemed to be doing his best to distract the Jedi Master by nibbling his way up the column of Obi-Wan's throat.

Pressing his face against the crook of Anakin's neck, breathing in the younger man's scent, Obi-Wan licked and sucked the tender skin, leaving a love-bite; sharp red against Anakin's bronzed colouring.

Anakin shifted suddenly, surprising Obi-Wan as he hooked his hands under the Jedi Master's hips. He pulled upwards slightly so that Obi-Wan's ass was pressed against his lap, his legs wrapped around Anakin's waist. The motion caused Obi-Wan to slide down in the seat abruptly. Startled, the Jedi Master sprawled back against the fabric, head falling back loosely.

"I-I think that this Delta-6 is… is only designed for one passenger…." Obi-Wan gasped out, trailing off into a whimper as Anakin slowly rubbed his hard cock against his ass.

"Mmmm… do you want me to get out?"

Obi-Wan groaned at the unfamiliar timbre of his former Padawan's voice. He had never heard Anakin _purr_ like that, a rumbling growl of lust. He tried to push himself back up, but the synthleather of the seats gave him no purchase, no way to regain control of the situation. He was completely vulnerable in this position, back curved awkwardly against the seat as he met Anakin's searing gaze.

The young Knight's eyes were darkened with lust, that almost feral smile curving those perfect lips. Obi-Wan had to close his eyes to block out the seductive image. Just the _idea _of surrendering himself utterly to Anakin was almost enough to make him come.

Then Anakin's calloused fingers brushed against his hard cock, straining at the front of his trousers, and Obi-Wan had to bite his lip hard enough to taste blood to keep from doing so.

"Master…?" Anakin's fingers toyed with the waist line of Obi-Wan's pants, teasing him.

"Yes. Oh_ Force_ yes, Anakin…." Obi-Wan flung out his hands, bracing them against the inside of the cockpit as Anakin pulled away the constraining fabric with excruciating slowness.

_Oh Anakin, oh fuck, yes…yes…._

The first drop of ice-cold rain fell on Obi-Wan's overheated skin, making him squawk in undignified surprise. He shivered as the freezing drop trailed down his chest, feeling goosebumps rise all over his body at the sudden shock.

Anakin grinned, catching the raindrop with his tongue and following its trail over Obi-Wan's skin with his mouth. Obi-Wan managed to muster a faint scowl, an ineffectual glare that his former Padawan answered with a soothing kiss. A kiss that turned into a muffled curse as the next drop hit Anakin's bare spine.

Obi-Wan resisted the urge to gloat, opting instead to manipulate the Force to raise the canopy. It sheltered the two of them inside the Delta-6's cockpit just as the storm broke around them.

Obi-Wan was aware only of the pounding of his own heart, racing as furiously as the thundering rain on the thin transparisteel above them as Anakin's hand stroked his cock firmly. He gasped in startled pain against Anakin's lips as durasteel fingers, cold as the icy weather, breached his entrance and pushed deep into his body. He writhed against Anakin's hands, jaw clenched tightly as he pushed his hips back against the roboclaw instinctively, panting for more, always more.

But Anakin kissed him chastely; slowing his pace to the point of agony until Obi-Wan was completely incoherent with need. His senses were overloaded with the taste of Anakin's lips; the fogged transparisteel canopy streaked with raindrops before his half-closed eyes; the rhythm of the rain echoing in his ears. He was lost to the feel of skin sliding against skin, of being stretched and filled until tears rose in his eyes as he arched into Anakin's controlled thrusts.

His scream of Anakin's name as he came hard was lost in the roar of the rainstorm outside.


	8. Chapter 7

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed so far! They are the highlights of my dreary, toil-filled university existence. lol. (grins).

This will be the last update for a few weeks, as I have many a term paper to write (five for next week, two for the week following) and then I'm into exams. I know that at least some of you are going through the same thing, so I beg your indulgence and patience with me! Good luck and _bon courage_ to those who are heading into exams!!

(as a side note, yes: the last chapter was pretty much an excuse for Delta-7 porn. now the actual plot can resume, hahaha.)

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**Chapter 7**

It was almost winter; soon the rain would turn to snow and blanket the grimy buildings of Coruscant in a soothing white blanket. As autumn took hold of the planet, the weather seemed to be determined to awe the populace with as many tempests as possible before the peaceful cold settled in.

Obi-Wan stood with his hands clenched on the balcony railing, letting the rain drum against his shoulders and trickle down his neck. He stood with his head bowed, eyes half closed as he stared blankly at his hands. He had stopped being able to feel them ten minutes ago; for all that it was still rain rather than snow, the drops were cold enough to be made of ice water. They stung as they smacked against any areas of exposed skin, almost sharp enough to draw blood.

Obi-Wan didn't know how long he had been standing outside on the lonely balcony, staring morosely through the driving rain. He did know that he had stopped shivering some time ago, that all his senses were going numb from prolonged exposure.

Well, that had been the point, after all. To numb his mind and his body completely, so that he wouldn't have to think, wouldn't have to come to the only solution that honour demanded.

Inside, Obi-Wan knew that Anakin would still be sound asleep, curled up between the soft blankets of their shared bed. Inside, wrapped in those strong arms, Obi-Wan could be safe and warm. He could forget everything outside the individual moments spent in bliss with Anakin. They were few enough now in this war; Obi-Wan knew he should take advantage of them while they lasted.

But as much as his heart ached to do so, his mind kept churning through the utter _wrongness_ of the situation. He was breaking the Code; he was far too attached to Anakin. Their relationship was more intense than any other Knight pair in the Temple. Ordinarily, the two of them would have been separated already, but no one dared to break up the best team in the Order when they were needed most.

That wasn't what prevented him from sleeping at night though, when he rested his cheek on Anakin's smooth chest and listened to the thunder of the younger man's heartbeat. He didn't give a damn about what the Council thought of him any longer, not if he had to choose between their approval and Anakin's affection.

It was Padmé to whom his thoughts turned. Senator Amidala. His partner's_ wife_. His best friend, former apprentice, and current lover, was _married_.

_That_ was what pricked at Obi-Wan's sense of duty, at his ethics. That was what made him incapable of sleeping peacefully at night. Padmé Amidala had been a friend of his, and he was willingly betraying her night after night, mission after mission.

But he had been able to ignore the little voice of his conscience before now, before this afternoon. This afternoon, when he had realized that there wasn't just one Force-signature emanating from the young Nubian Senator. There were two. The second one was very faint – obviously still developing – but there was no mistaking it.

Anakin's wife was pregnant.

Obi-Wan stared numbly through the rain-lashed sky towards the Senatorial Apartments. He couldn't shake the feeling of pure self-loathing that gnawed at him from the inside. He had felt that other presence, had recognized the truth instantly, but had still spent the night in Anakin's arms. It was childish and wrong, as though he were trying to stake a claim against his lover's unborn child. He felt sickened by his own actions, deliberately seducing Anakin tonight to prove that the young Knight was still _his_, no matter what might change in his former Padawan's other life.

Despicable behaviour for a Jedi. Even worse for a _friend_. Did Padmé even know she was pregnant yet? Did Anakin? How long before it was revealed, and Obi-Wan's jealously guarded secret was no longer his knowledge alone?

So he stood in the frigid rain, as though it could numb the pain in his heart, or somehow wash away the stain of his actions. What was it the Togorians had said? That God was in the rain?

Obi-Wan smiled bitterly. Maybe he could pray for forgiveness, and be absolved of his transgressions by standing in the downpour for a few more hours. By then he would be completely frozen, senses mercifully deadened to the world around him. Maybe then this wouldn't hurt so much.

It was over. Obi-Wan had known that the moment he had seen Padmé on the landing platform. In the morning, he would tell Anakin that it was over. There was no other way.

As though Obi-Wan's thoughts had summoned him, Anakin was suddenly in the doorway to the balcony. Obi-Wan could feel his presence, but he didn't turn to acknowledge it.

"Obi-Wan? What in the Sith are you doing out here? You'll freeze to death!"

He closed his eyes tightly at the sleepy concern in Anakin's voice, tensing as familiar arms wrapped securely around his waist, enveloping him in Anakin's heavy cloak. With a muffled sob, Obi-Wan turned and pressed his face against Anakin's shoulder, barely hearing the soothing nonsensical words that the Jedi Knight murmured against his hair.

He didn't believe in God: Jedi were not religious in the strictest sense, as they were taught only to trust in the Force. Still, Obi-Wan couldn't help but breathe a prayer against Anakin's bare skin, hoping that the Togorians were right, and that it would be heard and answered.

_Please, let us survive this storm together. Please don't take him from me completely. _

Anakin inclined his head so that his cheek rested against Obi-Wan's.

"Did you say something, Master?"

Obi-Wan forced himself to pull away, made himself meet Anakin's eyes coolly. He hoped that the rain on his skin would hide the tears that rose in his eyes.

"We need to talk, Anakin."

"_Obi-Wan!"_

He was dimly aware of a hand on his shoulder, shaking him. It was a vague sensation of pressure; his body was too numb to feel anything, his thoughts too scattered to register who was talking.

Warm arms wrapped around him, slowly lifting him to his feet. He sagged backwards, collapsing against the anonymous Jedi's chest. His legs were completely numb, unable to support his weight after kneeling in the rain all night. He hissed between his teeth as circulation was painfully restored, allowing himself to be led back inside.

Obi-Wan made no protest as he was stripped of his sodden robes, as hands roughly chafed over his arms and chest to warm his skin. He felt as though he was drowning, crushed by the weight of the silence he'd wrapped around himself. He had to stay cold and detached. He shook his head tightly as he was pulled into a rough embrace. He couldn't allow himself to think, he couldn't allow himself to _feel_. Even as warmth was restored to his numbed limbs, his frozen heart was starting to ache again.

The other Jedi was talking, but Obi-Wan retreated deeply into himself, letting the words run together into a nonsensical stream of noise. He was starting to remember the look of shock and hurt on Anakin's face when he had curtly told the younger Knight to get out. He was starting to remember the rough sound of his lover's voice as Anakin pleaded to know what he had done wrong. The look in his eyes as he had stormed out of their apartments.

Obi-Wan felt moisture on his cheeks, and realized he had started to cry. Funny, he had thought he had no more tears left. A gentle hand under his chin forced him to reluctantly raise his head and meet his friend's eyes. Quinlan Vos smiled sadly, brushing his hand across Obi-Wan's cheek to dispel the tears.

"Are you going to tell me what in the Sith you were doing out there?"

Obi-Wan began to laugh helplessly, a choked hysterical sound. Scrubbing the back of his hands across his eyes, he attempted to master his emotions. He was a Jedi, if nothing else. Though his heart ached as though a blaster bolt had pierced it, he summoned a crooked smile.

"I love him, Quin."


	9. Chapter 8

I amSO sorry that I neglected to update this for so long!! Life has been really crazy with a lot of school stuff; everything from exams to term papers to being erroneously accused of plagiarism on one of my papers. Pretty exhausting, lol. But it's all done now and sorted out for the best, and thus, I update.

Since this chapter is so short, I'll be putting up the last one tomorrow afternoon or evening. Hope you enjoy them!

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**Chapter 8**

Obi-Wan breathed out heavily, his heart a leaden weight in his chest. He had thought himself beyond feeling, beyond pain. How foolish of him. Where Anakin was concerned, he had always felt too strongly.

The rain that fell around him was a cascade of embers, singeing his robes and searing his eyes with harsh lights. Thunder rumbled overhead, an electrical storm that ripped through the heavy clouds that shrouded Mustafar.

But the tempest above was nothing compared to the storm that raged between the two men on the planet's surface.

Anakin's face was twisted in rage as he struck again and again with his lightsabre, blows that were clumsily blocked by Obi-Wan. Every shock through his arm from the blades meeting resonated against the Jedi Master's heart. He didn't want to be here, he didn't want to be doing this. This was _Anakin_ he was fighting, the boy he had trained, the man that he still loved more than anything. It wasn't _right_.

But the Force that flowed through him and between them told Obi-Wan a different story. He could feel that the Anakin he had loved was gone, that only a twisted reflection of his former apprentice remained. It was a truth that he didn't want to accept, no matter what his rational mind told him. His heart refused to believe it, the part of him that still yearned for Anakin's caress.

He wouldn't be able to kill Anakin, no matter what his former apprentice had become. Obi-Wan simply loved him too much.

So he let go, surrendering himself to the will of the Force. He separated himself from conscious thought, allowing the raw power of the Force to fill him and control his actions. It was the only way he could fulfil his duty as a Jedi.

Obi-Wan had never hated being a Jedi before.

Anakin reached out to him, screaming as the flames began to consume his body. Obi-Wan met those hate-reddened eyes and felt the last hope that he could somehow save Anakin finally die. His apprentice was finally dead, the man he loved replaced by a monster.

"I loved you!" he screamed, knowing that the words had come far too late. He should have told Anakin before, that night that they had stood together in the rain. He had prayed that night that he wouldn't lose the man he loved.

His prayers had not been answered. The storm had torn them both apart.

"_I hate you!_" Anakin screamed behind him, the words piercing Obi-Wan's heart. He hated himself as well; he had failed his former Padawan completely.

Obi-Wan called Anakin's lightsabre into his hand, and turned away slowly. His eyes burned, but there were no more tears left. Though a rain of fire fell around him, Obi-Wan's heart was as cold and frozen as the ice plains of Hoth, shrouded in eternal winter.

He doubted he would feel anything again.


	10. Chapter 9

Here's the last chapter! Thank you so much for everyone who has read and reviewed this fic! I greatly appreciate all of your comments! They make my days extremely bright and happy!

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**Chapter 9**

A change in the atmosphere woke him from his slumber. Obi-Wan opened his eyes slowly, frowning at the dusty walls of his hovel. The air smelled different, a subtle scent that was oddly familiar. It was like the vaporators on a moisture farm, or the air on Coruscant before –

A rainstorm?

Grabbing for his sun-faded rode, Obi-Wan groaned as he stood, his back cracking loudly. The years hadn't been kind to him, and the heavy, charged feeling in the air made all his joints creak.

Shuffling to the door, Obi-Wan leaned against the rough stone and watched the brilliant purple lightning crackle over the sandy dunes. The wind had picked up, sweeping great billows of sand across the flat plains. Obi-Wan shielded his eyes against the grit, using his other hand to tug his hood up over his thinning grey hair.

Slowly at first, individual drops of rain fell, sending up puffs of dust and making craters in the sand. Obi-Wan breathed in deeply, relishing the damp taste of the air, usually so arid. A loud _crack_ and a bone-shivering rumble of thunder, and the storm broke in a silvery sheet of water.

Obi-Wan stretched out his hands from the shelter of the doorway, gasping as the warm drops bounced off his weathered hands. It had been years since he had seen the rain, something that he had once taken completely for granted. Water on Tatooine was a valuable commodity.

Shrugging out of his dusty robe, Obi-Wan moved out into the rain, spreading his arms wide and tilting his head up to the sky. The water drenched his clothes, plastering his hair flat against his head. He closed his eyes tightly, relishing the thought of being completely clean for the first time in years. It was nearly impossible to be rid of the sand that managed to work its way into everything on the planet.

Reluctantly, Obi-Wan turned away from the storm, using the Force wantonly to summon every suitable vessel outside. There was no sense in wasting this rarity – it was one less thing he would have to barter for in the small town nearby.

A ghost of a smile twitched Obi-Wan's lips as he arranged the various containers to collect the precious water. He was remembering the wide blue eyes of a young Anakin, marvelling at his first ever storm on Coruscant. For the first time in years, his mind didn't shy away from the thought of his former apprentice.

_Anakin. _

He sank slowly to his knees, feeling his heart start to ache as memories flooded him, memories connected with the sound and taste of the rain. Anakin's heart pounding as Obi-Wan hugged him tightly on Togoria. Their first kiss, pressed against the elevator wall on the rooftop. Nights on campaign across the galaxy, their moans muffled against each other's lips and by the rain pounding on the canvas overhead.

He was sobbing, hands clenching in the damp sand as he doubled over in pain. He hadn't cried since he had broken off his affair with Anakin. He hadn't been able to grieve for the friends who had been killed in the Jedi purge, hadn't wept for the loss of his friend, partner, and lover.

And the pain eased as his tears slowed, as though a weight had finally been lifted from his heart. Obi-Wan sat back on his heels, staring up pensively at the sky. The storm was clearing, the rain slacking off. He could see glimpses of the stars now, twinkling lights that broke through the haze of low-lying clouds.

Obi-Wan couldn't help the laughter that bubbled out of him unexpectedly, a gleeful cackle that reminded him almost of Yoda. He danced around in a circle, feeling freer than he had since he had arrived on this planet.

He had forgotten what it was like to be alive, resigning himself instead to a slow death alone on Tatooine. The rain on his skin had shocked him back to reality, had reminded him of all the memories he had tried to bury behind a mask of indifference.

Obi-Wan remembered Padmé's final words about Anakin: "There is still good in him."

Gazing up at the stars, heedless of the wind that cut through his sodden tunics, Obi-Wan finally could admit that she had been right. He hoped that Anakin himself would realize it soon. And when his apprentice's life ended, he would find Obi-Wan waiting to welcome him into the Force.

The storm had finally passed.


End file.
